After
nine years of existence as a COMELEC citizenís arm and as a co-worker in
the churchís social apostolate for credible, honest, accurate,
meaningful and peaceful elections.PPCRV
has gone along way to fulfill its vision and mission of a socially
transformed electoral culture.

In
this crucial May 2001 National and Local elections (after another historic
EDSA 2 Peoples Power), we will once again renew our commitment, as
volunters and as deciples of social transformtion, to strengthen the roots
of true liberal democracy in the safeguarding of oneís sacred right to
vote.Through this
involvement we give witness to our identity as christians and as
Filipinos.

May
we continue to live out the challenges of the JUBILEE YEAR, docile to the
action of the Holy Spirit.Mabuhay
tayong lahat!

Mabuhay ang PPCRV!

THE
PPCRV POLLWATCHER

POLLWATCHING
is an organized activity of citizens inorder to ensure a fair, clean,
honest and peaceful elections by vigilant monitoring of election
activities.Pursuant to
COMELEC Resolution no. 2971 your rights and duties as a PPCRV watcher are:

{To
stay in the space reserve for you.

{To
observe the procedures of the Board.

{Take
notes of what you may see or hear.

{To
take photographs of the proceedings.

{To
file a protest against any irregularity or violation of the law.

{To
obtain from the board a certificate of protest.

{To
read ballots and returns without touching them.

{To
obtain the certificates of votes cast for the candidate duly signed and
thumbmarked by the Board of Elections
Inspectors (BEI) and by the six (6)
political watchers, if available.

{To
accompany members of the BEI in the delivery of ballot boxes and election
returns.

NOTE: Watchers shall not speak to
any members of the Board, or any voter, or among themselves, in such a
manner
that would disturb the proceedings of the Board

PHASES OF POLLWATCHING

BEFORE THE ELECTION DAY

WHAT
SHOULD A POLLWATCHER DO?

POLLWATCHERS
are assigned to:

KNOW
the general situation in your area.

KNOW
the different support groups in your polling place.

KNOW
the PPCRV operation procedures in your polling place.

KNOW
the BEI at your assigned precinct and establish a good relation with them.

If
possible, VISIT the polling place the day before elections.

(For
Polling Place Coordinators) ESTABLISH a good working relationship with the
head of your assigned polling place-e.g. Principal, Director, etc.

Present
yourself courteously to the BEI Chairman. And, get to know the BEI members
will be setting up in the Polling Place. Regularly, there will be only 3
members in the BEI but in case of automation a fourth member will be
added).

Check
forms and supplies. Included are: a) Book/List of registered voters
wrapped and sealed, b) official ballots wrapped and sealed-1.2 ballots per
registered voter [ In case of automation there will be two
kinds of ballots- one for automation (National Positions) and another for
manual (Local Positions).], c) One set of elections returns wrapped and
sealed (7 copies), d) envelopes and seals for excess ballots, marked
ballots and election returns, e) ballot box empty, turned upside down
before being locked with three padlocks ( in case of automation there will
be another ballot box for this purpose.), f) Two self-locking metal seals,
and g) supply of indelible ink (2 bottles per precinct).

List
down the quantity of serial number of the following : a) official
ballots,b) envelopes for election returns, c)election returns, and d)
ballot box.

DURING
THE VOTING(Voting starts 7:00 am and ends at 3:00 pm)

Voting
may continue after 3:00 pm if there are voters within 30 meters polling
place.

Only
the following are allowed in the polling place: a) BEI members, b)
pollwatchers, c) COMELEC representatives, d) voters casting their votes,
e) voters waiting for their turn to cast their votes, g) other persons
authorized by COMELEC.

There
should be no more than 20 persons at any time inside the precinct waiting
for their turn to cast their votes. Know how to use their proper crowd
control procedure.

The
following are not allowed within 50 meters of the polling place except
when voting: a)officers and members of the AFP and PNP, b) any Peace
Officer, andc) Barangay officials.

Propaganda
or campaign materials should not be found inside the polling place or
within 30 meters.

Firearms
andother
deadly weapons should not be found within30 meters of the polling place.

The BEI shouldnotpre-sign any election form.

Voters
being assistedmust be illiterate/disabled and must be indicated in the
registration record.No one can assist these voters more than thrice except the BEI.

You
have the right to challenge the identity of any suspicious-looking voter
of the following grounds:

A. Challenge against illegal voters: 1) notbeing registered, 2) using the name of another, and 3) suffering
from existing disqualifications.

B.Challenge based on certain legal acts: 1) received or expects to
receive, paid, offered or promise to pay, contributed, offered or promise
to contribute money or anything or value or as consideration for his vote
or for the vote of another, 2) made or receiveda promise to influence the giving or withholding of any such vote,
and 3) made of a bet or is interested directly or indirectly in a bet
which depends upon the result of election.

A
challenged person who refused to take oath before theboard must not be
allowed to vote.

Make
sure you have a record of challenges made.

The
Chairman must not apply a drop of indelible ink in a voterís finger nail
before giving the ballot to the voter.

Make
sure that the BEI Chairman signs the ballot before giving it to the voter.

Make
sure that the serial number ofaccomplished ballot matchesthat which is in the voters list.

Make
sure that the proper procedure in disposing excess and spoiled ballot is
observed.

No
voters can changed his defaced ballot more than twice.

Make
sure that all proceedings and incidents are recorded in the minutes of the
voting of the Board.

DURING
THE COUNTING

In
case of automation, after the voting period ends, the computerized votes
are brought to the deisgnated counting center for automated count.Make sure that aPPCRV watcher accompaniesthe ballot box to the proper counting center. (If no automation is
done then we shall proceed to the counting of votes in the precinct level.
Furthermore, the local votes cast will also be counted in the precinct
level).

Check
lay out ofthe precinct (positioningof poll watchers ).

It
is not your task to tally on the board.

See
to it that the proper appreciation and counting of the ballot is followed.As a general principle, every ballot shall be presumedvalidunless there is a clear and good reason to justify its rejection.Remember that the object of the election is to obtain the
expression of the votersí will.

Make sure that ballots are read correctly and the election returns are
filled up properly.

Spoiled,
marked or unofficial ballots must be placed in their proper envelopes,
sealed an deposited in the spoiled ballots compartment.

The
BEI must not make any alterations or amendment in the election returns
after the announcement of the results in the polling place.

DO
NOT FORGET to request for a Certificate of Voters from the BEI ater the
announcement of the result.

The
CERTIFICATE OF VOTERS must be properly filled up,signed and thumbmarked by
the BEI members and by the six political watchers, if they are available.

Do
not leave the precinct until all election documents have been properly
sealed and locked inside the ballot box.Items include: 1) envelope containing used official ballots; 2)
envelope containing half of the torn unused official ballots, including
the 20 percent allowance; 3) the envelope containing excess, or marked,
spoiled ballots; 4) envelope containing a copy of the minutes of voting
and counting of votes; 5)tally sheet, and 6) stubs of used pads of
official ballots.BUT MOST OF
ALL it is important for you be present and attentive during the counting,
giving full attention to the preparation of election returns.

AFTER
THE COUNTING

Accompany
the delivery of the ballot box to the City/Municipal treasurer immediately
after the counting.

Accompany
the delivery of the election return to the office of the electionofficer.

Election
documents left out that should be locked inside the ballot box must be
delivered to the COMELEC or the election officer.

The
ballot box must not be re-opened until during the canvassing or if there
is written consent from the COMELEC.